Solid-state flasher

ABSTRACT

A solid-state flasher circuit for controlling the flashing of electric signs, warning lights and other similar devices, said circuit having no movable parts or wear components. The subject circuit is a relatively versatile control which includes separate means adjustable to control the flasher on time, the flasher off time, the flashing frequency, whether the flasher is to be operated at full or half-wave power, it always initiates energizing of the flasher device under minimum power conditions, and it also includes means for operating as a time delay means.

Unite States Patent Inventor Bobby Gene Hubbard Cairo, Ill. App]. No.852,801 Filed Aug. 25, 1969 Patented Dec. 28, 1971 Assignee E.D.I. Inc.

Cairo, Ill.

SOLID-STATE FLASl-IER 18 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

U.S. I 315/209 R, 315/200 A, 315/225, 315/226, 340/81 R, 340/331,340/340 Int. Cl 1105b 37/02 Field of Search 315/209, 225, 226, DIG. 7,200 A; 340/81, 331, 340, 341; 367/249 [5 6] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,438,023 4/1969 Apitz 315/209 X 3,440,489 4/1969Davidson et al. 315/209 Primary ExaminerRaymond F. HossfeldAttorney-Charles B. Haverstock ABSTRACT: A solid-state flasher circuitfor controlling the flashing of electric signs, warning lights and othersimilar devices, said circuit having no movable parts or wearcomponents. The subject circuit is a relatively versatile control whichincludes separate means adjustable to control the flasher on time, theflasher off time, the flashing frequency, whether the flasher is to beoperated at full or half-wave power, it always initiates energizing ofthe flasher device under minimum power conditions, and it also includesmeans for operating as a time delay means.

SOLID-STATE FLASHER The subject invention relates generally to flashercircuits and associated devices including circuit means for controllingthe energizing and deenergizing of a load circuit such as a lamp, asign, a warning or delay device and so on. All known flashing deviceshave employed some kind of mechanical or electromechanical means such aselectric motors and associated cam means or some form of relay meanswhich operate to cause one or more sets of contact points to alternatelyopen and close. The known devices usually also carry relativelysubstantial currents and as a result produce arcing and other circuitinterruptions at their contact points causing the contacts todeteriorate and malfunction. Also, by including motor or relay means inthe circuits of the known devices to open and close contacts and forother reasons creates maintenance problems and makes the known devicesrelatively expensive to construct and operate. The subject solid-stateflasher circuit overcomes these and other disadvantages and shortcomingsof the known devices, and has the further important advantages in thatit has no moving or wear parts, no contacts to open and close, and itrequires very little current to operate. Also the present circuit ismuch more flexible and versatile than known devices used for the same orsimilar purposes, and it can be made to be more compact and moreeconomical to operate.

The present invention therefore discloses a relatively simple,inexpensive and maintenance-free yet very versatile control circuitparticularly for controlling the energizing and deenergizing of a devicesuch as a flashing device, which control circuit because of itsversatility and low power requirements can be used for many differentpurposes including use with warning devices and the like.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provideimproved circuit means for operating a flashing device or the like.

Another object is to increase the flexiblity, versatility andadjustability of flasher devices and of the control means therefor.

Another object is to provide improved means for varying the duration ofa flashers on and/or off periods.

Another object is to reduce or eliminate wear and deterioration incircuits used to control flashers and the like.

Another object is to provide a relatively compact and inexpensivecircuit for controlling the operation of flasher and time delay devices.

Another object is to provide a relatively maintenance-free flashercontrol circuit.

Another object is to provide a flasher control circuit with means foradjusting the flashing frequency.

Another object is to provide a flasher circuit that is capable ofhandling widely varying load requirements.

Another object is to provide a flasher circuit for controlling theoperation of flashing devices used in advertising, waring and otherapplications.

Another object is to reduce the energy required to control a flasherdevice.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent after considering the following detailed specificationwhich covers a preferred embodiment of a flasher control circuit inconjunction with the accompanying drawing which is a schematicelectrical circuit diagram of a flasher control circuit constructedaccording to the present invention.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numbers, numberrefers generally to a flasher control circuit which for illustrativepurposes is shown connected to an AC power source 12, such as aconventional 115 volt AC source, said circuit being constructed tooperate or flash a load which is shown in the drawing as electric lamp14.

The power from the source 12 is supplied to the circuit 10 on inputleads 16 and 18. In the discussion which follows the voltages on theleads 16 and 18 will be considered at specific times during the cyclesof the input source. For example, during alternate half-cycles thepotential on the lead 18 will be considered positive relative to thepotential on lead 16 and vice versa.

The lamp 14 is connected between the input lead 16 and another lead 20which has its opposite end connected to electrode 21 of a triac 22. Thetriac 22 also has a gate control electrode 24 and an anode electrode 26.The anode 26 is connected by another lead 28 to the input power lead 18.It can therefore be seen that whenever the triac 22 is turned on orgated by an appropriate signal being applied to the gate electrode 24,it will conduct and in so doing will establish a circuit for energizingthe lamp 14 by effectively connecting the lamp across the source betweenthe leads 16 and 18. When the triac 22 is not gated and not conducting,however, the lamp will be deenergized, except for another condition ofthe circuit which will be described later. The subject flasher circuitis designed to control the gating of the triac 22 in a desired manner,and in so doing to produce a desired flashing condition for the lamp 14as will be explained.

When power is supplied to the flasher circuit 10 it will initiallyremain in a standby condition until power is supplied to another lead 30which is connected to the input lead 16 by the closing of a switch 32.The switch 32 is an optional feature provided to enable the subjectflasher circuit to be operated from a remote location. If the switch 32is omitted, the lead 30 will then be permanently connected to the inputlead 16, and the flasher circuit will be activated whenever the inputleads l6 and 18 are connected to the input source. For the purposes ofthis description it will be assumed that the switch 32 is closed andthat the leads l6 and 30 are therefore electrically the same.

When the flasher circuit 10 is activated by applying the AC source powerfrom the source 12, a circuit is established for current to flow betweenthe input leads 16 and 18, through a series circuit which includes acapacitor 34, a potentiometer 36, an optional resistor 38, and a diode40 connected as shown. With this circuit, whenever the voltage on theinput lead 18 is positive relative to voltage on the input lead 16,which occurs on alternate half-cycles of the input, a charge willaccumulate on the capacitor 34 of the polarity shown and at a rate thatdepends on the time constant of the circuit just described. It is to benoted also that the capacitor 34 will only be able to be charged in thepolarity shown during the half-cycles of the input when the voltage onthe lead 16 is negative with respect to the voltage on the lead 18 dueto the presence of the diode 40 which only permits conductiontherethrough for this one polarity of the input voltage. When thevoltage across the capacitor 34 builds to a predetermined voltage itwill operate to fire a trigger diode 42 causing it to conduct. This inturn will cause current to flow through a circuit which includes thetrigger diode 42 and resistors 44 and 46 which are in series therewithacross the capacitor 34. in so doing, a voltage will develop across theresistor 46 which will be of such polarity that it places a positivevoltage on gate electrode 48 of a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) 50relative to the voltage on the cathode of the SCR 50. At this time,however, the SCR 50 will be prevented from going into a conductingcondition by the reverse biasing across it, and this condition willcontinue to exist until the polarity of the voltage on the inputreverses and the voltage on the lead 16 starts to go positive withrespect to the voltage on the input lead 18. This takes place at thebeginning of the next half-cycle of the input from the source 12.

When the trigger diode 42 is fired, it will conduct and continueconducting to maintain the voltage developed across the resistor 46until the polarity of the line voltage reverses at which time the SCR 50will also conduct. This is accomplished in the circuit by the resistor44 which is in series with the resistor 46, the combination providing arelatively slow discharge path across the capacitor 34. The resistors 44and 46 also form a voltage divider circuit which limits the gate voltagethat can be applied to the gate electrode 48 of the SCR 50. With thiscircuit arrangement therefore, the SCR 50 can only be switched from itsnonconducting to its conducting condition at a time when the polarity ofthe input is reversing and at a time when a positive voltage is beingapplied to its gate electrode 48. In other words, it is not possible forthe SCR 50 to go into a conducting condition at any time except at atime when the line voltage goes through a zero voltage condition. Thiskind of switching or gating is sometimes referred to as zero-voltageswitching." When the SCR 50 is triggered it immediately triggers thetriac 22 as will be explained. Zerovoltage switching is important to thepresent device because it eliminates the possibility of radio frequencyinterference, and it prolongs the life of lamp 14 which may be anincandescent lamp or other device to be switched because under zero-voltage switching the lamp or other device is always energized initially ata time when the input source voltage is at or near volts.

When the SCR 50 conducts, another circuit is established for current toflow through the lamp 14 on an alternate path which includes the lamp14, the triac electrodes 21 and 24, there being relatively littleimpedance between these electrodes in a triac, and then back to theinput lead 18 through diodes 51 and 52, the SCR 50, and through anotherdiode 54. This means that the load current for operating the lamp 14will be able to flow through the triac 22 during the half-cycles of timethat the voltage on the input lead 16 is positive with respect to thevoltage on the input lead 18 following gating of the SCR 50.Furthermore, since triacs are latching-type devices the conductingcondition thereof, once it is established will continue in effect duringthe rest of the same half-cycle when the voltage on lead 16 is positivewith respect to the voltage on lead 18. It is also to be noted thattriacs, being latching devices, will remain in the condition they haveat the beginning of each half-cycle and until the end of thathalf-cycle, and will then cease to conduct if they are conducting unlessthey are regated. This is the nature of triacs.

Also, during the same half-cycle when the input lead 16 is positive withrespect to input lead' 18, another capacitor 56 will charge in thepolarity shown through a circuit which includes series-connected switch58, when closed, resistor 60 the diode 52, the SCR 50 and the diode 54.The capacitor 56 and the resistor 60 are included in the circuit toprovide means for regatingthe triac 22 at the end of the half-cycle wheninput lead 16 goes negative so that the lamp will continue to beenergized. The means for regating the triac 22 include a closed circuitformed by the capacitor 56, the resistor 60, the lamp 14, the triacelectrodes 21 and 24 and the diode 51. When the polarity across theinput leads l6 and 18 reverses at the end of the half-cycle when thelead 16 was the more positive that is, when the lead 16 goes negativewith respect to the lead 18, the charge on the capacitor 56 will flowthrough the switch 58, the lamp 14, the triac electrodes 21 and 24, thediode 51, and the resistor 60, and in so doing will regate the triac 22thereby maintaining the lamp 14 in its energized condition. This occursat the beginning of the half-cycle following the half-cycle in which thetriac 22 is triggered by the triggering of the SCR 50 as explainedabove.

At the beginning of this same half-cycle when the input lead 18 goespositive with respect to the input lead 16, and with the triac regatedand conducting, the capacitor 56 as aforesaid will have discharged andwill commence recharging, but this time in the opposite polarity fromthe polarity shown on the drawing. The circuit for recharging thecapacitor 56 in this opposite direction is through the low resistance ofthe triac 22 and the circuit formed by the gate electrode 24, the diode51, the resistor 60 and the switch 58. The charge produced on thecapacitor 56 at this time will be dissipated after the beginning of thenext half-cycle. However, this condition will not be able to regate thetriac 22 because it is of the wrong polarity to pass through the .diode51, and therefore has no effect on the operation. Furthermore, whatcharge there is on the capacitor 56 will be rapidly dissipated through acircuit which includes the elements 60, 52, 50 and 54 after the polarityreversal.

The purpose of the capacitor 56, the associated resistor 60 and thecircuitry associated therewith is therefore to provide means to causethe triac 22 to conduct on the half-cycles following the half-cycles inwhich the triac is triggered by the SCR 50.

An important additional feature of the present circuit is provided byhaving the switch 58 in its open condition. When the switch 58 is open,the half-cycles following each of the half-cycles in which the triac istriggered by SCR 50 would be omitted and the lamp 14 would not beenergized during these half-cycles. This means that the switch 58 can beused to select between full-wave and half-wave conduction of the triac22 and the lamp 14. For example, when the switch 58 is open the triac 22will operate only in half-wave conduction cycles, and when the switch 58is closed it will operate in full wave conduction cycles. With thisfeature, the life of the lamp 14 can be substantially extended becauseit can be made to flash at half instead of at full power. This is anadvantage in those situations where full brightness is not required.

lt is usually also desired to energize the lamp or other load for morethan one full cycle of line current at a time, and the present circuitincludes means which make this possible. The means for accomplishingthis as will be explained, include means that cause the SCR 50 to remainin conducting condition for periods of as long duration as desired. Thisis accomplished by holding circuit means which include another capacitor62, another resistor 64, a potentiometer 66, diodes 68 and 70, and athree-position selection switch 72. When the voltage on the input lead16 is positive with respect to voltage on the input lead 18, and in theinterval before the lamp 14 is energized by the triggering of the SCR 50and the triac 22, a relatively small current will flow through the thelamp 14, the lead 20, the switch 71 when closed in its left-handposition as shown, the diode 70, the left part of the potentiometer 66,the resistor 64, and the capacitor 62, which at this time will becharged to the polarity shown. Thereafter, when the SCR 50 conducts asaforesaid, it will be maintained in its conducting condition due to theholding current supplied thereto by the capacitor 62. This holdingcurrent is supplied to the SCR 50 through the resistor 64, theright-hand portion of the potentiometer 66 and through the diode 68.During the time the SCR 50 is held conducting, the triac 22 is alsoconducting thereby causing the lamp 14 to remain energized. However,when the lamp is energized, the capacitor 62 will not longer bereceiving charging current through the circuit just described since atthis time the lead 20 is at the same potential as the lead 18. Thecapacitor 62 will therefore be discharged through the same circuit justdescribed which includes the diode 54, the SCR 50, the diode 68, theright part of the potentiometer 66 and the resistor 64, and whendischarged will no longer be able to supply holding current for the SCR50, so that the SCR 50 will then stop conducting as soon as the end ofthat particular half-cycle of operation is reached.

The time constant of the discharge circuit for the capacitor 62 iscontrolled by the setting of the potentiometer 66, and the potentiometer66 therefore acts as the on time" control for the flasher circuit 10.This means that the lamp 14 will remain energized for a time period thatis determined by the setting of the potentiometer 66. Thereafter, at astill later time, the lamp 14 will again be reenergized during a cyclewhen the capacitor 34 is recharged through the potentiometer 36 asdiscussed above. This means that the setting of the variable resistor 36provides the means for controlling the off time" of the lamp 14, and thesetting of the potentiometer 66 controls the on time of the lamp 14. Itcan therefore be seen that in the left setting position of the switch 72which is the position described above, the circuit 10 operates as anon/ofl flasher circuit. Other variations in the operation of the circuit10 are obtained by setting of the switch 72 in its other two operatingpositions.

In the middle operating position of the switch 72, which is the positionin which neither side of the switch is closed, the charging circuit tothe capacitor 62 is open so that it cannot supply any holding currentfor the SCR 50 to maintain it in its conducting condition. In thisswitch position therefore, the

lamp 14 will be energized only for exactly one full cycle each time itis energized. This position of the switch 72 can be used in anyapplication requiring full wave or half-wave pulses.

In the third or right operating position of the switch 72, the capacitor62 is continuously charged during the time when the voltage on the inputlead 16 is positive with respect to the input lead 18 through a circuitfrom lead 18 which includes the switch 72, the diode 70, the leftportion of the potentiometer 66, and the resistor 64. Thus, in the rightposition of the switch 72, one the SCR 50 conducts, it will remainconducting until power is removed from the circuit. In the rightposition of the switch 72 therefore, the subject circuit operates as atime delay relay, and in this condition when power is first applied, thelamp will remain deenergized for a period of time entirely determined bythe setting of the off time control 36. After this delay time, the lampor other load will be energized, and will stay energized until the poweris removed. Delay relays of this general type have many possibleapplications in the electronics industry.

Thus there has been shown and described a novel control circuit forcontrolling the operation of any device which is to be operated orenergized intermittently or on some desired time schedule to produce adesired condition, such as to produce a particularly flashing conditionor to produce a time delay for some purpose. Such devices have manypossible uses and applications including being used to flash electricsigns, control warning devices including traffic control and similardevices, produce a desired time delay action, and for many other usesand applications as well. lt will be apparent to those skilled in theart, however, that many changes, modifications, variations and otheruses and applications of the subject control are possible and can bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Allsuch changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applicationswhich do not depart from the'spirit and scope of the invention aredeemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by theclaims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. A control circuit for controlling the energizing of a device such asa flasher device comprising a flasher device to be controlled, meansincluding an alternating input power source and a control elementconnected in series with the flasher device, said control element havinga gate electrode energizable to control the conducting conditionthereof, means for controlling the conducting condition of said controlelement to control the energizing of said flasher device, said controlmeans including charge storage means, means including a voltage dividerdischarge path connected across the charge storage means, and meansincluding a gated rectifier device having a control electrode connectedto a predetermined point in which voltage divider discharge path, thecontrol electrode of said gated rectifier device being gated to enablethe rectifier device to be able to go into a conducting conditionwhenever the charge on the charge storage means is being dissipated, andmeans including said gated rectifier device enabling a gating pulse tobe applied to the gate electrode of said control element to cause saidcontrol element to go into a conducting condition to energize theflasher device whenever the rectifier device goes into a conductingcondition.

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the gate pulse applied to the gateelectrode is applied at a time when the polarity of the alternatingpower input is reversing.

3. Means for controlling the alternate energizing and deenergizing of adevice comprising a source of alternating input voltages which reversespolarity on alternating half-cycles, a device to be energized anddeenergized alternately by said source, the improvement comprising acontrol member connected in a series circuit with said device acrosssaid source, said control member having a control element therefor,circuit means connected to said control element to control theconducting condition of the control member such that when the controlmember is conducting the .device is energized and when the controlmember is not conducting the device is deenergized, said circuit meansincluding first charge storage means connected to store charge duringhalf-cycles of one polarity of the input source, means responsive to theaccumulation of a predetermined charge on said first charge storagemeans including means for establishing a circuit condition which willenable the control member to go from a nonconducting to a conductingcondition the next time there is a reversal of the polarity of the inputsource, said circuit means including second charge storage meansconnected to store charge during the half-cycles of the other polarityof the input source, means connecting said second charge storage meansto the control element of said control member whereby the charge storedon said second charge storage means operates to maintain the controlmember in a conducting condition during the half-cycle of operationfollowing the half-cycle in which the control member goes to aconducting condition.

4. The means defined in claim 3 wherein said circuit means include meansadjustable to control the time required to charge the first chargestorage means to said predetermined charge.

5. The means defined in claim 3 including means to deactivate the secondcharge storage means.

6. The means defined in claim 3 including third charge storage means,means operable to cause charge to store on said third charge storagemeans during said other half-cycles of the input source, and othercircuit means including means to control the rate of discharge of thecharge stored on said third charge storage means, said other circuitmeans having an operative connection to the control element of thecontrol member to control the time duration that the control member'remains in a conducting condition.

7. A circuit for controlling alternate on and off cycles of a devicecomprising a device to be controlled, switching means connected inseries with said device across an alternating current input source, saidswitching means including a first solidstate member having a controlelement excitable to control the conducting condition thereof, andcircuit means connected to the control element to control the conductingconditions of said member, said circuit means including a secondsolid-state member having a control element, and means including chargestorage means and associated voltage divider means, means connectingsaid charge storage means to the alternating current input sourcewhereby charge is stored thereon during selected half-cycles of theinput source depending on the polarity of the input source, theoccurrence of a predetermined charge on the charge storage meansoperating through the voltage divider circuit to condition the secondsolid-state member so that said member will conduct the next time thepolarity of the input source reverses, and other means connected to thecontrol element of said switching means including the said secondsolid-state member when in its conducting condition enabling saidswitching means to go from its nonconducting to its conducting conditionto energize the device being controlled.

8. The circuit defined in claim 7 including second charge storage meansoperatively connected to be charged by the input source, and means fordischarging a charge stored thereon, said discharging means including adischarge circuit connected through the second solid-state member, saiddischarge circuit conditioning said second solid-state member so that itwill go from a conducting to a nonconducting condition.

9. A solid-state flasher circuit for controlling energizing anddeenergizing of a flasher device comprising a flasher device, a sourceof alternating current, a controllable member connected in series withthe flasher device across the alternating current source, saidcontrollable member having a control electrode, the improvementcomprising circuit means connected to the control electrode of thecontrollable member to produce signals thereon that control theconducting condition of the controllable member and the energizing anddeenergizing of the flasher device, said circuit means including a firstcircuit portion connected across the the alternating current source andincluding charge storage means and impedance and rectifier meansconnected in series with. the charge storage means to control the rateand polarity of charge storage on the charge means, means including avoltage divider discharge path connected across the charge storagemeans, and a gated rectifier having a control electrode connected to apoint in the voltage divider discharge path, said gated rectifierconditioning the circuit means so that the controllable member can gofrom a nonconducting to a conducting condition under control of apolarity reversal of the source, and other means included in the circuitmeans to maintain the controllable member in a conducting condition fora determinable time period.

10. The solid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 including meansadjustable to control the time duration that the controllable member isin a conducting condition.

11. The solid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 including meansadjustable to control the time duration that the controllable member isin a nonconducting condition.

12. The solid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 wherein saidcontrollable member is a triac.

13. The solid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 wherein saidvoltage divider discharge circuit includes a trigger diode.

14. The solid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 wherein saidcircuit means includes a second circuit portion including second chargestorage means, means to cause a charge of predetermined polarity to bestored on said second charge storage means from said alternating currentsource on alternate half-cycles of the source, and means for dissipatingthe charge on said second charge storage means, said charge-dissipatingmeans including the control electrode of the controllable member.

IS. The solid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 including meansfor controlling the length of time that the gated rectifier conditionsthe circuit means so that the controllable member can go from itsnonconducting to its conducting condition said last-named control meansincluding means adjustable to control the time durations that theflasher device remains energized.

16. Means for controlling the energizing and deenergizing of a devicecomprising a source of input voltage having alternating half-cycles ofopposite polarity, a controllable element capable of being in aconducting or nonconducting condition connected in series with thedevice to be energized and deenergized across the input source, saidcontrollable element having a gate electrode, and means connected to thegate electrode for applying signals thereto to control the conductingcondition of the element and of the device to be energized anddeenergized, said means connected to the gate electrode including firstmeans operable in response to a predetermined first circuit condition toenable a signal to be applied to the gate electrode to cause saidcontrollable element to go from a nonconducting to a conductingcondition, said last-named means including first charge storage meansand means to adjust a first circuit time constant to vary the chargingrate of said first charge storage means, and second means responsive toa predetermined second circuit condition to maintain the controllableelement in conducting condition for a determinable time period, saidsecond means including second charge storage means and means to adjust asecond circuit time constant to vary the charging rate of said secondcharge storage means.

17. The means defined in claim 16 including switch means connected intothe circuit of the second charge storage means, said switch means beingmovable between a first position in which the device to be energized isoperated on half-wave energy from the source, and a second position inwhich the device to be energized is operated on full wave energy fromthe source.

18. The means defined in claim 16 including switch means connected intothe circuit with the second charge storage means, said switch meansbeing movable between a first position in which the second meanspperateevery time the device is energized to maintain the device energized forone full cycle of the input source, a second position in which thedevice is maintained energized for a predetennined time interval eachtime it is energized, and a third position in which the device afteronce being energized remains energized.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,631,318 Dated December 28, 1971 Inventor(s) Bobby Gene Hubbard It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 52, "a flasher circuit" should be "improved means"; line53, -'waring" should be "warning".

Column 4, line 31, "71" should be "72"; line 42, "not" should be "no".

Column 5, line 7, "18" should be "16''; line 9 "one should be "once";line 24, particularly" should be "particular";

line 65, "voltages" should be "voltage" Signed and sealed this 6th dayof June 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM uscoMM-Dc eoavepss 9 U.S, GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE tI969 366-334

2. The circuit of claim 1 wherein the gate pulse applied to the gateelectrode is applied at a time when the polarity of the alternatingpower input is reversing.
 3. Means for controlling the alternateenergizing and deenergizing of a device comprising a source ofalternating input voltages which reverses polarity on alternatinghalf-cycles, a device to be energized and deenergized alternately bysaid source, the improvement comprising a control member connected in aseries circuit with said device across said source, said control memberhaving a control element therefor, circuit means connected to saidcontrol element to control the conducting condition of the controlmember such that when the control member is conducting the device isenergized and when the control member is not conducting the device isdeenergized, said circuit means including first charge storage meansconnected to store charge during half-cycles of one polarity of theinput source, means responsive to the accumulation of a predeterminedcharge on said first charge storage means including means forestablishing a circuit condition which will enable the control member togo from a nonconducting to a conducting condition the next time there isa reversal of the polarity of the input source, said circuit meansincluding second charge storage means connected to store charge duringthe half-cycles of the other polarity of the input source, meansconnecting said second charge storage means to the control element ofsaid control member whereby the charge stored on said second chargestorage means operates to maintain the control member in a conductingcondition during the half-cycle of operation following the half-cycle inwhich the control member goes to a conducting condition.
 4. The meansdefined in claim 3 wherein said circuit means include means adjustableto control the time required to charge the first charge storage means tosaid predetermined charge.
 5. The means defined in claim 3 includingmeans to deactivate the second charge storage means.
 6. The meansdefined in claim 3 including third charge storage means, means operableto cause charge to store on said third charge storage means during saidother half-cycles of the input source, and other circuit means includingmeans to control the rate of discharge of the charge stored on saidthird charge storage means, said other circuit means having an operativeconnection to the control element of the control member to control thetime duration that the control member remains in a conducting condition.7. A circuit for controlling alternate on and off cycles of a devicecomprising a device to be controlled, switching means connected inseries with said device across an alternating current input source, saidswitching means including a first solid-state member having a controlelement excitable to control the conducting condition thereof, andcircuit means connected to the control element to control the conductingconditions of said member, said circuit means including a secondsolid-state member having a control element, and means including chargestorage means and associated voltage divider means, means connectingsaid charge storage means to the alternating current input sourcewhereby charge is stored thereon during selected half-cycles of theinput source depending on the polarity of the input source, theoccurrence of a predetermined charge on the charge storage meansoperating through the voltage divider circuit to condition the secondsolid-state member so that said member will conduct the next time thepolarity of the input source reverses, and other means connected to thecontrol element of said switching means including the said secondsolid-state member when in its conducting condition enabling saidswitching means to go from its nonconducting to its conducting conditionto energize the device being controlled.
 8. The circuit defined in claim7 including second charge storage means operatively connected to becharged by the input source, and means for discharging a charge storedthereon, said discharging means including a discharge circuit connectedthrough the second solid-state member, said discharge circuitconditioning said second solid-state member so that it will go from aconducting to a nonconducting condition.
 9. A solid-state flashercircuit for controlling energizing and deenergizing of a flasher devicecomprising a flasher device, a source of alternating current, acontrollable member connected in series with the flasher device acrossthe alternating current source, said controllable member having acontrol electrode, the improvement comprising circuit means connected tothe control electrode of the controllable member to produce signalsthereon that control the conducting condition of the controllable memberand the energizing and deenergizing of the flasher device, said circuitmeans including a first circuit portion connected across the thealternating current source and including charge storage means andimpedance and rectifier means connected in series with the chargestorage means to control the rate and polarity of charge storage on thecharge means, means including a voltage divider discharge path connectedacross the charge storage means, and a gated rectifier having a controlelectrode connected to a point in the voltage divider discharge path,said gated rectifier conditioning the circuit means so that thecontrollable member can go from a nonconducting to a conductingcondition under control of a polarity reversal of the source, and othermeans included in the circuit means to maintain the controllable memberin a conducting condition for a determinable time period.
 10. Thesolid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 including meansadjustable to control the time duration that the controllable member isin a conducting condition.
 11. The solid-state flasher circuit definedin claim 9 including means adjustable to control the time duration thatthe controllable member is in a nonconducting condition.
 12. Thesolid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 wherein said controllablemember is a triac.
 13. The solid-state flasheR circuit defined in claim9 wherein said voltage divider discharge circuit includes a triggerdiode.
 14. The solid-state flasher circuit defined in claim 9 whereinsaid circuit means includes a second circuit portion including secondcharge storage means, means to cause a charge of predetermined polarityto be stored on said second charge storage means from said alternatingcurrent source on alternate half-cycles of the source, and means fordissipating the charge on said second charge storage means, saidcharge-dissipating means including the control electrode of thecontrollable member.
 15. The solid-state flasher circuit defined inclaim 9 including means for controlling the length of time that thegated rectifier conditions the circuit means so that the controllablemember can go from its nonconducting to its conducting condition saidlast-named control means including means adjustable to control the timedurations that the flasher device remains energized.
 16. Means forcontrolling the energizing and deenergizing of a device comprising asource of input voltage having alternating half-cycles of oppositepolarity, a controllable element capable of being in a conducting ornonconducting condition connected in series with the device to beenergized and deenergized across the input source, said controllableelement having a gate electrode, and means connected to the gateelectrode for applying signals thereto to control the conductingcondition of the element and of the device to be energized anddeenergized, said means connected to the gate electrode including firstmeans operable in response to a predetermined first circuit condition toenable a signal to be applied to the gate electrode to cause saidcontrollable element to go from a nonconducting to a conductingcondition, said last-named means including first charge storage meansand means to adjust a first circuit time constant to vary the chargingrate of said first charge storage means, and second means responsive toa predetermined second circuit condition to maintain the controllableelement in conducting condition for a determinable time period, saidsecond means including second charge storage means and means to adjust asecond circuit time constant to vary the charging rate of said secondcharge storage means.
 17. The means defined in claim 16 including switchmeans connected into the circuit of the second charge storage means,said switch means being movable between a first position in which thedevice to be energized is operated on half-wave energy from the source,and a second position in which the device to be energized is operated onfull wave energy from the source.
 18. The means defined in claim 16including switch means connected into the circuit with the second chargestorage means, said switch means being movable between a first positionin which the second means operate every time the device is energized tomaintain the device energized for one full cycle of the input source, asecond position in which the device is maintained energized for apredetermined time interval each time it is energized, and a thirdposition in which the device after once being energized remainsenergized.